Foldable stool



Dec. 21, 1965 J. H. KENT 3,224,389

FOLDABLE STOOL Filed March 11, 1964 INVENTOR,

JAY H. KENT WWW United States Patent 3,224,389 FOLDABLE STOOL Jay H. Kent, liroolrville, Miss. (1269 Wilzin Ave., Greenville, Miss.) Filed Mar. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 350,961 2 Claims. (Cl. 108-119) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in stool structures adapted for folding and unfolding to and from a folded storage condition from and to a stable seating condition.

There have heretofore been made a number of attempts to provide foldable stool structures usable as camp stools or portable seating structures as may be desired. Prior structures insofar as is known have proven commercially unacceptable primarily on account of instability and the tendency of such prior structures to tip or lean in one or more directions, discomforting and disturbing the user of such device.

The present invention is primarily concerned with providing a foldable stool structure which is of extreme stability and which is adapted for use as a camp stool or other seating device minimizing, substantially to elimination, the problems which appear heretofore to have been encountered by prior structures.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a stable foldable stool structure adapted for use as a seat, either as a camp stool or otherwise as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device comprising pairs of pivotally connected legs with each pair of legs being interconnected by a ground foot or bar for stabilizing the foot ends of the respective legs so as substantially to eliminate tipping or other discomforting result from the use of the stool structure when unfolded and mounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a structure in which the seat portion is provided with notched supports adapted to engage with a cross bar carried by one of the pairs of legs for interengagement, to latch the seat structure in opened condition for seating purposes and to retain the same against unfolding as well as substantially against sidewise movement of the seat relative to the pair of legs and the remainder of the stool structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foldable stool structure which may be folded to and from a storage condition, in which the elements of the device are collapsed into a substantially limited space for storage purposes, from and to an unfolded seat-supporting structure in which the elements are interengaged to provide a stable seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which a latch bar, adapted to engage and latch the device into stable seating condition, is conveniently provided to serve as a handle for carrying the folded device to and from various locations; and

A further object of the invention is generally to improve the design, construction and efficiency of foldable stool structures for use as a stool or other seating device.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the foldable stool of the present invention shown in seating position.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the foldable stool structure shown in folded storage condition.

FIG. 3 is a side edge view of the structure as shown in FIG. 2; and

"ice

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the device in partially unfolded condition.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the drawings illustrate a foldable stool 11, which includes a pair of outer legs 13, outer legs 13 being interconnected and stabilized at their foot ends as by a foot bar 15.

The stool structure further includes a pair of inner legs -17, which in the preferable arrangement of the structure as shown in the drawings are disposed within outer legs 13 and closely in engagement therewith.

Inner legs 17 are similarly connected at their foot ends by a transversely extending lower foot bar 19. Legs 13, 17 are interconnected at a mid-point for a scissors-like folding and unfolding movement, as by pivots 21.

Mounted for support upon the structure is a seat which includes a pair of support members 23, support members 23 being respectively pivotally connected as at 25 to the seat ends of inner legs 17 remote from the foot ends of legs 17. Secured to the upper side of support members 23 and extending transversely therebetween are a plurality of slats 27, which rigidly interconnect seat supports 23 and are supported thereby to provide a suitable seating surface for use in connection with the stool.

Remote from pivots 25, each of seat supports 23 adjacent to but spaced from the distal end of the support members is provided with a downwardly and angularly disposed opening notch '29. Notches 29 are adapted to engage over and latchingly connect with a cross latch bar 31 which is rigidly secured to and spans between the seat ends of legs 13 remote from foot bar 15. Preferably cross latch bar 31 is cut out as at 33 to facilitate engagement with notches 29 so as not only to latch the seat portion of the structure into position but also to limit sidewise movement of the seat structure relative to the supporting legs of the structure.

In the use of the device it may be stored in a completely folded condition in which legs 13, 17 lie in substantial coplanar alinement with cross latch bar 31 engaged against the inner legs 17 so as to prevent possible overtra-vel of the legs in the folding movement beyond correctly folded condition. In this folded condition the extending ends of slats 27 also project outwardly beyond inner legs 17 so as to engage against outer legs 13.

In such completely folded condition the device is substantially flat and the cross latch bar 31 as well as lower foot bar 19 connected to inner legs 17 provide convenient means for handle use by which the folded device may be transported readily from place to place without the cumbersome extent of the unfolded condition.

In shifting the device from the folded storage condition to extended seating position the device is unfolded by moving the legs 13, 17 about their pivots 21 until they have reached the condition in which they are approximately equally extended. In this condition seat structure comprising seat supports 23 and seat slats 27 is available to be engaged by the cross latch bar 31 carried by the distal ends of outer legs 18, the latch bar being engaged into notches 29 of the seat supports 23, and with the seat supports snugly seating in the cutouts 33 in cross latch bar 31.

It will be observed that the distal ends of outer legs 13 in the unfolded seating condition of the device bear against the underside of the endmost of slats 27, again preventing overtra'vel of the device beyond the desired unfolded seated condition and enabling the accurate and quick engagement of latch bar 31 with notches 29 in seat supports 23.

In this manner the structure is sturdily interconnected in a detachable manner, yet is capable of supporting in a stable fashion the user of the device.

The foot bars 15, 19 are elfective in stabilizing the extended seat condition of the stool against undesired tipping on uneven ground and the like, and it will further be observed that the foot bars are preferably of substantially square cross section with the lowermost apex of the square cross section remote from the connection of the bars to legs 13, 17 downwardly disposed so as to provide for an angular portion more readily adapted to engage into a supporting structure and to minimize slippage of the device in use.

The foot bars 15, 19 not only provide against slippage of the device in use, but also elfectively provide means preventing leg individual penetration into a support-surface such as the ground or sand or the like.

It will be understood that, while this device has been primarily described in connection with a seat structure, the foldable structure of the present invention is readily adaptable for a table-like use for supporting objects such as television seats, potted plants, or such other devices the support of which is desired by the user.

Iclaim:

1. A foldable stool comprising two pairs of legs, each leg of each pair having a seat end and a foot end opposite to said seat end, the legs of an inner pair being respectively pivoted to the legs of the other and outer pair intermediate their lengths for scissors-like movement to and from folded condition in which said legs are in substantial alignment and register with the foot ends of one pair of legs adjacent the seat ends of the other pair of legs, from and to extended condition in which the seat ends of said leg pairs are separated to support a seat structure, a seat structure comprising a pair of spaced apart seat supports, a plurality of parallel slats spanning between and fixed to said seat supports providing a seating surface mounted upon and carried by said supports, said supports being pivoted adjacent one of their ends to one of said pairs of legs substantially at the seat ends of said one pair of legs, said supports adjacent but spaced from their other ends having diagonally disposed notches, a latch bar fixed to and spanning between the legs of the other pair of legs adjacent their seat ends, said latch bar removably engaged in said support notches securing said stool in said extended condition, said latch bar adjacent the engagements with said notches being cut out providing limit means substantially abutting against said seat supports and limiting sidewise slippage of said seat structure relative to said legs, the distal foot ends of the respective pairs of said legs being rigidly interconnected by transversely extending foot bars stabilizing said stool in use against tipping and twisting, said latch bar in said folded condition being remote from said seat structure and adjacent the foot ends of the other pair of legs comprising handle means for movement of the folded stool from place to place, said foot bars blocking leg penetration into a supporting surface.

2. A foldable stool comprising two pairs of legs, each leg of each pair having a seat end and a foot end opposite to said seat ends, the legs of one said pair being respectively pivoted to the legs of the other said pair intermediate their lengths for scissors-like movement to and from folded condition in which said legs are in substantial alignment forming inner and outer pairs of legs and register with the foot ends of one pair of legs adjacent the seat ends of the other pair of legs, from and to extended condition in which the seat ends of said leg pairs are separated to support a seat structure, a seat structure comprising a pair of spaced apart seat supports, seat means mounted upon and carried by said supports, said supports being pivoted adjacent one of their ends to one of said pairs of legs substantially at the seat ends of said one pair of legs, a cross latch bar fixed to and spanning between the legs of the other pair of legs adjacent their seat ends, said cross latch bar removably engaged with said seat structure securing said stool in said extended condition, the distal foot end of the respective pairs of said legs being rigidly interconnected by transversely extending foot bars stabilizing said stool in use against tipping and twisting and blocking foot end penetration into a supporting surface, said cross latch means and the foot bar connecting the inner pair of legs forming handle means for carrying the foldable stool when in the folded condition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,011,585 12/1911 Creasey 108-64 2,643,925 6/1953 Derman 108-1 19 2,760,286 8/1956 Voigt et a1 1081 17 3,139,845 7/1964 Kolinski 1081 19 3,141,425 7/1964 Duer 108-120 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FOLDABLE STOOL COMPRISING TWO PAIRS OF LEGS, EACH LEG OF EACH PAIR HAVING A SEAT END AND A FOOT END OPPOSITE TO SAID SEAT END, THE LEGS OF AN INNER PAIR BEING RESPECTIVELY PIVOTED TO THE LEGS OF THE OTHER AND OUTER PAIR INTERMEDIATE THEIR LENGTHS FOR SCISSORS-LIKE MOVEMENT TO AND FROM FOLDED CONDITION IN WHICH SAID LEGS ARE IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT AND REGISTER WITH THE FOOT ENDS OF ONE PAIR OF LEGS ADJACENT THE SEAT ENDS OF THE OTHER PAIR OF LEGS, FROM AND TO EXTENDED CONDITION IN WHICH THE SEAT ENDS OF SAID LEG PAIRS ARE SEPARATED TO SUPPORT A SEAT STRUCTURE, A SEAT STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED APART SEAT SUPPORTS, A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL SLATS SPANNING BETWEEN AND FIXED TO SAID SEAT SUPPORTS PROVIDING A SEATING SURFACE MOUNTED UPON AND CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORTS, SAID SUPPORTS BEING PIVOTED ADJACENT ONE OF THEIR ENDS TO ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF LEGS SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE SEAT ENDS OF SAID ONE PAIR OF LEGS, SAID SUPPORTS ADJACENT BUT SPACED FROM THEIR OTHER ENDS HAVING DIAGONALLY DISPOSED NOTCHES, A LATCH BAR FIXED TO AND SPANNING BETWEEN THE LEGS OF THE OTHER PAIR OF LEGS ADJACENT THEIR SEAT ENDS, SAID LATCH BAR REMOVABLY ENGAGED ON SAID SUPPORT NOTCHES SECURING SAID STOOL IN SAID EXTENDED CONDITION, SAID LATCH BAR ADJACENT THE ENGAGEMENTS WITH SAID NOTCHES BEING CUT OUT PROVIDING LIMIT MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY ABUTTING AGAINST SAID SEAT SUPPORTS AND LIMITING SIDEWISE SLIPPAGE OF SAID SEAT STRUCTURE RELATIVE TO SAID LEGS, THE DISTAL FOOT ENDS OF THE RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF SAID LEGS BEING RIGIDLY INTERCONNECTED BY TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING FOOT BARS STABILIZING SAID STOOL IN USE AGAINST TIPPING AND TWISTING, SAID LATCH BAR IN SAID FOLDED CONDITION BEING REMOTE FROM SAID SEAT STRUCTURE AND ADJACENT THE FOOT ENDS OF THE OTHER PAIR OF LEGS COMPRISING HANDLE MEANS FOR MOVEMENT OF THE FOLDED STOOL FROM PLACE TO PLACE, SAID FOOT BARS BLOCKING LEG PENETRATION INTO A SUPPORTING SURFACE. 